Lost Knife! Opinions Wanted

R

Rob Simonich

Big Bear
Joined
Oct 3, 1998
Messages
2,294
Well, the Post Office has finally declared my package lost. I sent a small neck knife to Darrell Ralph of all people about 6 weeks ago and never heard from Darrell and in an e-mail exchange I asked if he got it. NO!
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This is the first knife I have lost in the mail and am wondering how often it happens? I send them in a priority box and nothing on the box says anything about knives or whats in it. I dont insure them cause that just tells the post people that there is something valuable in the box.

What do you guys do? Am I being stupid for not insuring the knives? What measures do you all take?

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www.simonichknives.com
 
I knew some folks in UPS some time ago. I don't know about USPS, but in UPS, theft was pretty much SOP. Anything small enough to fit in a pocket was pretty much bait to these guys. I insure anything of value these days.
Sorry you had to find out about it this way.
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Oz

Now, what other news did I have? Oh yes, IT'S A GIRL!!!
See her and my latest blades @
http://www.freespeech.org/oz/
 
I send hundreds of packages by US mail and have lost none. I gave up on UPS becuase I had packaces lost and too many others mutilated. Since they no longer accept cash for COD there is no reason for me to use UPS. They're also too expensive.
 
You have hit on a subject dear to my heart. I have makers sending knives to me all of the time for photo's and I have yet to have one lost.
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But I always carry enough insurance to cover it if it is lost on the way back. On some of the knives, mere payment of a set value couldn't replace the lost but it does help. I have found that FedEx is still one of the best ways to go.

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It's never too late to have a happy childhood!
Terill Hoffman Knife Photography http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=243110&a=1810458
 
I've heard of people not getting the value of the insurance IF you don't have proof of value as in receipts and a whole bunch of stuff, and since most of what I have has no receipts I don't normally insure more than $100 to make sure that someone signs for it.

But recently during a trade, a priority mail box was hung up, should have been there on Friday, didn't arrive till Tuesday the following week, made me very nervous! I didn't do the .35cent tracking thing and the new insurance is scannable but it's not in service yet, so there was no help with this package!!! I was beside myself, I didn't want to come off like a bum, ~The checks in the mail~ kinda guy! I was so relieved when I got the email saying it arrived safely.

The only thing I could figure out and this was brought up by Paul Davidson, was that the weekend in question was over the Tax Return weekend and might have been held up due to the heavy flow of mail.

But, knock on something wooden, I've never lost anything yet via the mail. They do real well by me. I haven't had a problem with UPS either, but the mail is handier and less expensive.

ALTHOUGH, I had sent a money order down to KnifeArt.com and during the trip, plans changed and I asked Larry to please return the money order when it arrived. Well when it arrived he wrote on the envelope ~Return to Sender~ well that was around April 10th and no letter back yet! I don't know if it will ever show up? I contacted the folks where I got the money order and to send in a lost claim will cost $8 to get a refund. If it doesn't arrive by next week, I guess I'll have no choice but to do that....anyone else have something like that happen?

UPDATE, 4-29-00, the mail arrived and that Prodical Son of a Return to Sender letter finally arrived! Whew it sure took it's sweet time getting here. Rob I wish you the same luck!

G2

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"The Road to Hell is Paved with Good Intentions!"
Take the time to read your Bible Now, don't be left behind...


G2 LeatherWorks

[This message has been edited by Gary W. Graley (edited 04-29-2000).]
 
rob, when i send blades to you for heat treating i insure them, and package them so that the workers can't shake it and guess what it is from it bouncing around. i also try to use big boxes, so they would be harder to steal.
about ups, i ordered a $550 variable speed motor(about 50lbs or more also), that was packaged in a leeson motor package. one of the corners was crushed, that happened to be the corner where the fan on the motor was. the motor casing was crushed (it's 20ga. or 18ga. steetmetal!) and the cooling fan was bent.
the motor was fixed, and will be replaced, but the point is that the workers don't care what's in the package.
 
You may want to try something called "Chain of Signature" that is offered by Purolator. Yes it's pricey and it's a little slower but it absolutely, positively will arrive intact and safe because everytime something goes missing on a COS the last person that signed for it is on the hook for it. A little forced quality assurance from the people at Purolator. I have shipped firearms (in the proscribed manner as dictated by the Firearms laws of Canada) and found that this is one of the safest methods of carrier shipping available short of an armoured car.

My .002 cents (canadian)

Dileas Gu Brath
 
Rob,
BillyJoeBobDan has been raising some real big carrier pidgeons that he plans to sell to knifemakers to be used for shipping knives. Good thing about it is they are reuseable, they fly home.
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Seriously, I've been in that position many times. The only one that hasn't lost a knife (knock on wood) has been the Post Office. I always insure and pack them in old dusty boxes and no mention of knives on them.

It's a game of chance.

 
I always use the USPS to send my knives. Rule number 1 for me is to use a box bigger than a lunch box. Rob it is a ugly thing to loose a knife. I hope the knife finds it way home to you.

Ray
 
I just lost a beautiful Browning Challenger . After 10 days, on my advice my customer called the surrounding post offices and found it at a neighboring post office. They were holding it, not knowing what to do with it. I would have thought they would send it to the correct office. Guess not!!! Anyway, it was found and my customer and I are happy.

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Check with your insurance agent. I have commercial insurance that covers, not only
what I have in my shop, it covers *every* shipment I make, and when I take my knives
to the Guild show, I am also covered. Before I leave for the Guild show, I make a
list of all knives I am taking and their value. I've insured the contents of my shop,
(machines, material, ect.) for $20,000. This cost me less than $400.00 a year.
Luckily, I've never had to file a claim.


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A.T.
http://www.customknives.com
AKTI #476


 
Rob:
We use the USPS for our shipping and have not had anything lost, we always use the deivery confirmation (35 cents) and ship priority. Never mentioning anything that might disclose contents is important too. Another factor is machine processing of mail, a larger box that is packaged so it won't crush if it winds up at the bottom of a pile help prevent the equipment from having a snack. I did have a knife lost by UPS, the box arrived with nothing in it!

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P.J.
P.J. Turner Knife Mfg, Inc.
Uluchet, What's an Uluchet? Find out at...
www.silverstar.com/turnermfg


 
I always insure them for full value...except for the ones i send to ray and he tells me to put one ten value....for customs...but i make sure he understands if it disappears thats his problem.....the bottom line.... we are born with a sin nature...there is some guy in some post office somewhere who is a knife nut and he sees your name and darrels name on a package and the whistle goes off and even though it is a federal crime...he takes it.....and once hes done that theres no turning back...happens all the time... my friends with an ffl found out the ups guy was keeping all the cod payments......fired of course.....there are crooks EVERWHERE, i even wonder about you when i get my talonite bill....
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http://www.mayoknives.com


 
Shoot, I even insure my blades when I send out for heat treat!! Couple years ago I sent my Brother a matched pair of bowies I made especially for him, and insured em for $1,000. When he got them he opened the box in the post oiffice in front of the postmaster and the box had been crushed and the knives were scratched severely. I put in a claim and got the ole, prove their value crap so I said, ok, just pay for repairs. My brother sent them back, I fixed em up and filed a $300 claim with the post office. Got the check in less than a week. I always insure! If nothing else, just for peace of mind. Also, it is possible, if you don't have delivery confirmation, for a low moraled individual to say "Uh Oh, I never got the knife! I want a refund". Then you're s.o.l. two times! Just call me Mr. Paranoia!!!
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Take care! Michael

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Always think of your fellow knife makers as partners in the search for the perfect blade, not as people trying to compete with you and your work!http://www.nebsnow.com/L6steel
 
I would recommend talking to your insurance advisor about some form of Goods in Transit policy. Explain what you send, what values you ship in a year, preferably a policy which allows you an adjustable premioum based on the total value of the consignments and one without a high deductible. That way you might not have to mark the outside of the parcels other than for international shipments or for signatures.

Roger
 
Priority Mail, Insured. Always. Every Time. No matter what. I have even turned down a couple of deals because the Priority Mail Insured was a problem with the other end.
Only 1 lost and 1 damaged in several hundred transfers.
Too bad that is has to be like this, but since it is, go with the flow.
Dave Evans
 
I guess everyone will eventually have a story to tell about some carrier. I've used UPs, USPS and Airborne (Purolator in Canada). The Post Office has never lost or damaged anything. UPS has lost, damaged and misdirected a number of packages.
I always insure no matter what I'm shipping. I've never had any trouble settiling a claim. Sometimes there are time delays getting something settled, but the insurance is worth it to me.
The best experience I've ever had is Airborne. Easy to set up an account and they pick up at the door.

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Gene Osborn
Center Cross Metal Works
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword...
Hewbrews 4:12
Texas Knifemakers & Collectors Association
 
Airborne is great. I've never shipped knives through them, but their service has been incredible for everything I have shipped. And, when they say 'overnight,' they really mean it, as in, a shipment was sent before midnight, and it reached me around 8 AM the next day.

--JB

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e_utopia@hotmail.com
 
Thanks for all the info guys, I guess I cant complain too much, I have sent hundreds of knives and this is the first one lost. The USPO has actually been great, I sent Lynn Griffith 3 Talonite bars once and the package arrived with one bar in it. I got the USPO on it with descriptions of the bars and they found the other bars and got them to Lynn. I use a LOT of strapping tape now!

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www.simonichknives.com
 
The USPS' version of the chain of signatures (just like they use with legal evidence) is Registered Mail. There is an unbroken chain of people who sign for the item, so that theoretically, it can be traced and the last person to sign for it must explain what happened to it.

I say theoretically, as the USPS actually managed to lose a registered letter which I sent last year. Fortunately, it was only a cashier's check, so I just had it cancelled (it had not been cashed), and sent a new one.

I suspect that the truth is that any delivery service can lose things, and if you consider what you pay for extra fees to guard against loss, you may be better in the long run to just send them the cheapest way. It might be a good idea, however, to take extra precautions with a particularly valuable item.

Rob, you doggone redskin, if my 'medicine man' happens to get 'lost' you are dog meat!
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Walt (The Indians' Friend) Welch
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